Mat-holder.



H. GOODACRE & H. ALLEN.

` MAT HOLDER,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. |917.

1,241,957. Patentd Oct. 2,1917.

k /AIVE/v Tus 55 @im "zo f7 HARRY eooiiAcEE AND ALBERT H. ALLEN, or WAEEEIELD,v MASSACHUSETTS, AssiGN- ons To HEYwoon BROTHERS, a WAKEEIELD COMPANY, oE WAK'EEIELD, `iv'iAssA-l f CHU-SETTS, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

MAT-`HQLDER.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY GooDACRE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and ALBERT H. ALLEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, both vresiding at Wakefield,

in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mat-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide improved means for yieldingly engaging a mat with the running-board of an automobile, and at the same time confining and protecting the margin of the mat, so that the mat will retain its vpredetermined shape and present a neat and desirable appearance.

The invention is embodied in the improvements `which we will now proceed to describe and claim. c

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. mat holder embodying the invention.

Fig.` 2 is a transverse section of the holder,

the mat engaged therewith,l and a runningboard with which the holder is engaged.

Fig. a portion of Fig. 2, showing a different forni of running-board.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to a portion of` Fig. 2, showing a relatively thin. runningboard with a downwardly pro]ecting flange at its outer edge.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, show- 4 ing a modification.

Fig. 6 is an end View, showing the frame provided with teeth or spurs engaging the upper side of the running-board.,`

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents anvopen frame formed to surround the marginof a mat 13, and to bear on the' upper side of a running-board 14. The frame, which is preferably composed of a strip of steel, suitably bent and welded together at its ends, is provided with a contracted holdingdown upper edge 121 adapted to overhang marginal portions of the mat and confine the same against upward movement.

' 4fiat-sided strips of steel, each includingan Specification of Letters Patent,

of the running-board in 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to.:

16 bent downwardly from said upper portion at -thejfront side of-` the frame and adapted to extend across the outer edge of the running-board, 'and clamping-arms 17 extending rearwardly from said necks and Patented oct. 2,' init.'`

Application mearebruary 2,1917. seriaiNaiAegars.

adapted to coperatewith the under side` the holder to the'board.

yieldingly securing The upper portions 15 are preferably pi'ovided at their inner ends with. upstanding ears 15a connected by rivets 18 with the rear side` of the frame, the .front side vof the f.

frame being preferably provided with. apertures 19 which are preferably narrow-slots,l

which the upper portions 15 pass,y

loosely., l

through Eachl resilient member is therefore adapt`y 'I ed to be secured'to the frame lby a` singlev rivet, its loose engagement with the lfront side of the frame enabling the upper portions 15 to -be Iiexed downwardly and bear yieldingly against the upperv side of the running-board as indicated by Fig.l 2, to

assist the lfrictional engagement of the holder with `the running-board.

The apertures 19 'are relatively near the lower edge of the frame` and are sufficiently spaced from said lower edge lto permit the projecting portions of the upper members 15 to bridge a raised portion 14a on theup-` indicated.

per side of the running-board, as by' Fig. 3.

AThe clamping-arms 17, which may be called` primarily clamping-arms, are preferably provided with supplemental clamping-arms 20, whichA may be flat-sided `steel strips attached at their rear endsby rivets 21 to the primary arms 17 and projecting vvforward, the 'free ends of the'supplemental clamping-arms being spaced from the necks 16 so that they'mayv engage the inner side of a flange 14c on a relatively thin pressed metalrunning-board 14", as indicated by Fig. 4. The supplemental spring also bears 'on the under side: of'a relatively thick rununing-board, as shownby Fig.v2,v

increases the frictional hold.

and thus In the embodiment of the inventionshown by Fig. 5, the upper portions 15 of the resilient' members are vconnected by rivets 22 with ears 23 formed :on the-lower portions of the rear and front sides of the frame 12.

Ineach embodiment of the invention, the upper portions 15 ofthe resilient members are adapted to support a mat engaged with the frame, and to prevent the mat from falling through the frame when the mat and holder are assembled and ready for sale or use, said upper portions cooperating with the contracted edge 12a in confining the nut against accidental sidewise displacement in either direction. l1t will be understood, however, that the mat may be forcibly displaced through the opening surrounded by the edge 12a.

The free ends of the clamping-arms 17 may be connected by a transverse member 24:, which maybe a flat-sided metal strip secured to the arm 17 by rivets 25, the member 24 being adapted to bear on the under side of the running-board and thus increase y,the frictional hold. The ends of the membert may be slightly curved downwardly, as indicated by Fig. 1, to facilitate the application of the holder to 'the running-board, and the said lmember may be transversely inclined, as indicated by Fig. 2, for the same purpose.

rllhel clamping-arms are normally held yieldingly in close proximity to the upper portions 15 of the resilient members, when the holder is not in use, as indicated by Fig. l, their resilience being such that they are adapted to cooperate either with a relatively thin running-board lill), or a relatively thick running-board 14. The supplemental arms 20 engaging the iiangeof a relatively thin running-boardv compensates for the decreased frictional hold on the under side of the running-board by preventing removal of the holder from the runningboard until the supplemental 'arms are manually depressed from the position shown by Fig. 1l. f

The frame may be provided at its lower edge with downwardly projecting teeth or spurs 27 adapted to engage the upper surface of the running-board, and preferablyformed by serrating the end portions of the frame as indicated by Fig.` 6, said spurs preferably projecting below the edges of the front and rear sides of the frame.

members, including upperportions eXtend-. inguacross the lower portion uof the frame' and engaged withl the rear and frontsides thereo f,said; uppenportionsbeing arranged tobear* Qngtheunder surface of a mat inserted' in the fralnep necks bent,` downwardlyfrom--sall upper portions and; adapted to?? sidewise displacement of a mat vin either direction.

2. A mat holder comprising an open frame formed to surround the margin of a mat and bear on a running-board, and having a contracted holding-down upper edge,y and a plurality ofelongated resilient members, including upper portions extending across the lower portion of the frame and engaged with the rear and front sides thereof, necks bent downwardly from said upper portions and adapted to extend across the outer edge of a running-board, y primary clamping-arms extending rearwardly from said necks, and l supplementary clampingarms attached to the free extremitiesof said primary arms and extending forward therefrom, said supplemental arms being adapted to bear on the under yside of a relatively y thick running-board, and their free ends being spaced from said necks and adapted to engage a flange on a relatively thin running-board.

3. A mat holder lcomprising an open frame formed to surround the margin of a mat and bear on a running-board, and having a contracted holding-down upper edge, and a plurality of elongated resilient members, including upper portions extending across the lower portion of the frame and engaged with the rear and front sides thereof, necks bent downwardly frornsaid upper portions and adapted to extend across the; outer edge of a runningboard, `clampingarms extending rearwardly from said. necks and adapted to cooperate with the under L portions of said members being adapted to support a mat, and a transverse member attached to and connecting the free ends of said clamping-arms and adapted to bear on the underside of the running-board.

4;. A mat holder comprising an open frame formed to surround the margin of a mat and bear on a running-board and' havf ving a contracted holding-down outer edge and apertures in its outer side near the lower edge thereof, and a plurality ofelongated resilient members 'rigidly attached to the inner side of the frame and including` upper c,

portions extending across the frame near the lower edge thereof and passing loosely.H

through. said apertures, necks Vbent downf wardlyf-froin the said .upper portions and ,adaptedto extend acrossthe outerYedgeeofl 1 a runnin'gboardg, yand, 130

tending rearwardly from the said necks and adapted to coperate with the under side of the running-board in yieldingly securing the holder to the board, the said apertures being spaced from the lower edge of the frame and holding the upper portions of said resilient members in position to bridge a raised member on the upper side of a running-board.

5. A mat holder comprising an open frame formed to surround the margin of a mat and bear on a running-board, said frame having a contracted holding-down upper edge and spurs at its lower edge ladapted to engage the upper side of the running-board, and resilient securing means engaged With said frame, and including clamping-arms adapted to eoperate with the under side of the board in yieldingly pressing said spurs against vthe upper side of the board.

In testimony whereof We have af'iXed our signatures.

HARRY GOODACRE. ALBERT H. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. v 

